TORONTO — The shattered glass from the shot-out window of a car carrying a four-year-old girl and her father is still scattered in the parking lot.

A bullet hole is also still visible in one house window nearby.

It’s chilling. It’s despicable.

You don’t need to go across the world to find terror. Just go to the Toronto Community Housing complex at Ardwick Blvd. and Finch Ave. W.

“You better believe I was scared,” said one woman, who was in the middle of one of the five random shootings. “I was praying to God that it wasn’t our time.”

A bullet fired through a kitchen window at a home hit a wall inside the kitchen near a newborn and mother at the Ardwick Blvd. (JACK BOLAND/TORONTO SUN)

The 20-year-old allegedly behind it all is, thankfully, behind bars.

“I’m horrified by the notion that a four-year-old or for that matter anyone in the city should be subject to a random shooting,” said an angry Mayor John Tory. “The police have done their work, they’ve brought somebody into custody and the justice system will take its course.”

But in a period from Jan. 9 to 21, a gunman wreaked havoc on several areas in the northwest corner of the city and put a lot of lives in danger. It’s a troubling crime spree timeline stopped by Toronto Police:

— Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 4 p.m., at Rathburn Rd. and The West Mall, a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl inside a building hallway were approached by a man who shot multiple rounds at them. The man remains in hospital but is expected to recover.

— Saturday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m., also in that same in complex in the Finch Ave. W. and Islington Ave. area, a 20-year-old man was shot at by a man who quickly fled in a vehicle.

— Sunday, Jan. 21 at 3:30 p.m., also in the same area, a 35-year-old man and a four-year-old girl escaped physical injuries after being shot at in a parked car.

— Sunday, Jan 21, less than an hour later, at 4:25 p.m, near Rathburn Rd. and Renforth Dr., a 19-year-old man was walking when he was shot at by a gunman who rolled down his window.

Toronto Police arrested 20-year-old Adam Abdi, of Brampton, in relation to multiple shootings. A few of the shootings occurred at this housing complex on Ardwick Blvd. east of Islington and Finch Ave. W. (JACK BOLAND/TORONTO SUN)

Several women Sun photographer Jack Boland and I talked with described the horror of a fourth incident.

“I hid behind a car with my two kids and told the man, ‘Don’t shoot me,’” one woman said.

She said he shot anyway.

“That bullet hit a car,” she said.

And then the man looked into a car in front of him and drew his weapon — a Smith & Wesson, .40-calibre handgun — and fired.

“He shot right in the car,” said the outraged woman, adding she shielded her own kids. “It was ridiculous. That’s where the father and girl were.”

A bullet hole through a kitchen window at a home at the Ardwick Blvd. TCHC housing complex parking lot – where a recent shooting occurred east of Islington Ave. and Finch Ave. W. (JACK BOLAND/TORONTO SUN)

In a nearby townhouse, one woman told us she was cradling her one-week old baby boy — since a bullet flew through her window.

“I heard the pah, pah, pah of the gun,” said witness Glenda Jawahira. “I saw him and looked right in his eyes.”

She said he ran away like a coward.

What a creep, shooting at innocent moms, dads and grandmothers with their tiny children.

“It’s terrifying living here,” said the newborn’s grandma.

Another grandmother said it’s so unfair for her 18-month old grandson.

“Of course we are scared,” said the resident. “Wouldn’t you be?”

The incident has more than the neighbourhood in shock.

“Media called from around the world,” said Supt. Ron Taverner. “They were just as upset and appalled.”

Toronto Police Supt. Ron Taverner speaks about the arrest of 20-year-old Adam Abdi of Brampton in relation to multiple shootings in north Etobicoke on Tuesday January 23, 2018. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

When the dust settled, Adam Abdi, 20, of Brampton, was hit with 48 charges including seven counts of attempted murder and weapons charges and five counts of breach of probation.

“It could have very easily been seven counts of murder and even more,” said Taverner, who in his decades as a cop can’t recall a series of random shootings like this. “It’s wicked.”

Adam Abdi, 20, is charged with seven counts of attempted murder.

The big question is why?

“We still don’t have a motive,” said Taverner.

Sources say, Abdi was born in Canada and lived in Brampton with family, who are also “devastated” at the scope of this.

But not near as devastated as the people who experienced these gutless shootings.

SUSPECT’S VEHICLE PAVED THE WAY: COPS

The first thing Toronto Police noticed was the pattern of the shootings: They were all late in the afternoon. Then it was the modus operandi: One brazen gunman shooting at people for no apparent reason.

“It’s made up of officers from 31 and 22 Divisions who for the past eight months have been looking at gun crimes in the northwest corner of the city,” said Taverner. “They are amazing investigators who worked on this 24/7.”

Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington speaks with Glenda as they walk through the Ardwick Blvd TCHC housing complex east of Islington Ave. and Finch Ave. W. on Tuesday January 23, 2018. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

Getting who turned out to be 20-year-old Abdi in handcuffs was of great urgency.

“This was so dangerous,” said Taverner. “He was (allegedly) wearing a disguise and fleeing but because of his car the detectives were able to track him down.”

And when they went to his mom’s house in Brampton “he did try to flee” again.

But the AFISU was ready for that – nabbing him and a handgun, too.

“I am so glad they did because obviously this would have likely kept going,” said Taverner. “Sooner or later somebody was going to get killed.”

Police are doing forensics on the gun and seeing if there are potential link-ups with other unsolved shootings and homicides.

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